lapilli

views updated May 08 2018

lapilli Pyroclastic fragments or tephra ranging in size from 2 to 64 mm. Lapilli may be composed of primary magmatic material (e.g. pumice), accessory lithic material, accidental lithic material, or accretions of wet ash-size material (accretionary lapilli). The size-term ‘lapilli’ is usually applied to the lithological clast type to give descriptive terms, e.g. ‘pumice lapilli’ or ‘accessory lithic lapilli’.

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY

lapilli

views updated May 29 2018

lapilli fragments of stone from a volcano. XVIII. —pl. of It. lapillo— L. lapillus, dim. of lapis stone.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

More From encyclopedia.com

About this article

lapilli

All Sources -
Updated Aug 08 2016 About encyclopedia.com content Print Topic

You Might Also Like